SRH vs RCB: Harbhajan Singh sides with umpire and declares Virat Kohli's controversial dismissal a fair call

Harbhajan Singh shared his perspective on Virat Kohli's controversial dismissal in the 36th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Harbhajan Singh backed the umpire's decision to give Virat Kohli out in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Virat Kohli's dismissal by KKR pacer Harshit Rana during the recent match sparked widespread discussion in the cricket fraternity. Kohli was deemed out caught-and-bowled after playing the ball above his waist. Some called it a no-ball, while others supported the third umpire's decision.

The umpires referred the decision to the third umpire, who used technology to assess the ball's trajectory. The replays showed that Kohli was out of his crease when he made contact with the ball. The third umpire felt that the ball would have been below his waist had he been in the crease.

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The replays revealed that if Virat Kohli had been standing at the crease, the ball would have passed him at a height of 0.92 meters, well below his waist. The right-handed batter's waist height is measured at 1.04 meters.

Virat Kohli Was Standing Outside The Crease - Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh mentioned that BCCI has measured players' heights, and if the ball passes above the waistline, it's a no-ball. Harbhajan highlighted that Virat Kohli was standing outside the crease while playing the shot.

"When Virat Kohli got out, the ball was high. It was a slower delivery. There was a lot of debate about whether it should be deemed as no ball because the ball was above the waistline. Virat was standing outside the crease and when you are that far hawkeye measures the waistline from the popping crease (the white line)," Harbhajan said.

"This year BCCI has measured the height of each player and if the ball passes above the waistline then it is given a no ball if not then the decision is not given," the former India international added.

In a challenging chase of 223 runs, Virat Kohli provided a fiery start, hitting two sixes and a four in his brief innings. The 35-year-old was dismissed after scoring 18 runs off just seven balls. The Bengaluru-based team fell short by just one run, scoring 221 runs in their allotted 20 overs.

The Ball Was Going To Dip - Harbhajan Singh

The former Indian spinner stated Virat Kohli's dismissal was as per the rules since the ball was expected to dip. Harbhajan emphasized that had Kohli remained in the crease, the ball would have dipped.

"The ball was going to dip because it was a slower one. If the ball was bowled with pace, it could have been a no ball. He was given out according to the rule. I believe that the ball would have dipped if he had stayed in the crease," Harbhajan Singh further stated.

The Bengaluru-based team will face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, April 25.

Also read: SRH vs RCB: Virat Kohli's teammate issues an official statement on behalf of his team for Kohli's controversial dismissal